This invention relates to steam cooking devices, and particularly to arrangements for producing steam in steam cooking devices.
The advantages of steaming certain foods rather than cooking these foods by other methods have become well-recognized in recent years. For example, when meats are cooked under dry conditions, as when baked, the meat loses its intrinsic moisture and may become dried out and unpalatable. Further, vegetables contain certain valuable minerals which are retained if the vegetables are steamed rather than cooked by other means, such as boiling.
Current steam cooking devices utilize steam generated in a boiler to cook or thaw food. This boiler is adapted to contain water and the boiler contains a heating element to heat the water to produce steam. This steam is transported from the boiler to a cooking chamber where it is introduced into the cooking chamber by a conduit or the like to cook or thaw the food.
A problem with these steam cooking devices is that some of the steam condenses as it is being transported from the boiler to the cooking chamber. The steam will carry this condensate into the cooking compartment where it forms water on the floor of the cooking compartment and also on the food itself. This excess water in the cooking compartment slows the food cooking time and can also add excess moisture to the food products being heated.